System for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path

ABSTRACT

A system for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path by counting the number of detected pulses generated in response to optical detection of each blip printed on the corresponding blank space of each frame of the microfilm is known. In accordance with a feature of this invention, detected pulses are generated from a group of photosensitive means so as to have directional information and sequential information. Moreover, additive counting-pulses and subtractive counting-pulses are generated in response to only the travelling direction of the microfilm.

United States Patent Tano 451 Apr. 4, 1972 [54] SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEARCHING OUT A DESIRED FRAME FROM A MICROFILM TRAVELLING ALONG A GUIDE PATH [72] Inventor: Taken Tano, Tokyo, Japan Iwasalti TSllShllllll Kabusliiki Kaisha also lr/n lvvatau Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo-to, Japan [22] Filed: May 28, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 41,328

[73] Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Date June 11, 1969 Japan ..44/45367 [52] U.S. Cl ..340/l72.5 [51] ..G06115/40 [58] Field of Search ..340/172.5, 173 MA; 353/25, 353/26 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,596,253 7/1971 Ruth ..340/172.5

3,290,987 12/1966 James et a1. ..353/26 3,538,313 11/1970 Thomas et a1 ..353/26 X 3,541,339 11/1970 St. John et a1. ..353/26 X 2,970,292 1/1961 Kliever "340/1725 3,191,006 6/1965 Avakian..... ....340/l72.5 X 3,252,143 5/1966 Sundblad... ..340/172.5 2,994,072 7/1961 Woody, Jr ..340/173 X Primary Examiner- Paul J. Henon Assistant Examiner-Sydney R. Chirlin AltorneyRobert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato [5 7] ABSTRACT A system for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path by counting the number of detected pulses generated in response to optical detection of each blip printed on the corresponding blank space of each frame of the microfilm is known. In accordance with a feature of this invention, detected pulses are generated from a group of photosensitive means so as to have directional information and sequential information. Moreover, additive counting-pulses and subtractive counting-pulses are generated in response to only the travelling direction of the microfilm.

2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 4 m2 3,654,614

sum 1 BF 7 115' 146' 15 f A Ar A RESHA PER LW+ I 1) 14b 15;,

i; 5, RESHAPER INVERTER V12 m "f 15 5/ C RESHAPER W 1 1 d 144 D, [a

r 0/ D RESHA PER W He lile E I e 11a [[6 11 11d lie 11f Er RESHAPER W F G)? RESHA PER AW.

Fig. 4

PATENTEDAPR 4 m2 3.654.614

SHEET 2 BF 7 Fig. 5

PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 SHEET 5 BF 7 mmmmanmwamfie SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEARCHING OUT A DESIRED FRAME FROM A MICROFILM TRAVELLING ALONG A GUIDE PATH This invention relates to systems for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path.

In these systems, blip" printed on the blank space of each frame of the travelling microfilm are usually detected by the use of photosensitive means, such as a phototransistor, and detected pulses are applied to a control device to count the number of the detected pulses so as to perform necessary control. In detecting respective blips, photosensitive means is arranged on a projected screen so as to recognize the magnitude of each blip at the projected screen. Moreover, one of four sides of each rectangular blip is determined as a reference side, and passing of this reference side is detected by the photosensitive means at the projected screen as input signals of a counter performing addition operation or subtraction operation in counting the number of the detected pulses. Accordingly, the system is designed so that the stop position of the travelling microfilm can be correctly controlled for both the normal travelling direction and the reverse travelling direction without mis-counting caused by spots, blots and dusts etc. on the microfilm.

In a system proposed by the inventor in the Japanese Pat. application No. l706/l968, two groups of photosensitive means are provided so that an additive counting-signal combined with an additive instruction-signal is generated when one of the two groups of the photosensitive means is just covered by the blip shifted on the screen, and so that a subtractive counting-signal combined with a subtractive instruction-signal is generated when the other of the two groups of the photosensitive means are just uncovered after complete covering by the shifted blip. In other words, the two groups of the photosensitive means generate respectively detected pulses in response to every time at which the one group of the photosensitive means are just covered by the shifted blip and in response to every time at which the other group of the photosensitive means are just uncovered as mentioned above irrespective of the travelling directions of the microfilm. However, the additive instruction-signal and the substractive instruction-signal are related to the normal and reverse travelling directions of the microfilm. In this system, if the two end parts of the travelling microfilm are respectively wound on reels so as to have different hardness of roll of the microfilm, this microfilm is often shifted at the initial time of driving in an incorrect direction where the microfilm is shifted in the subtract direction even if this microfilm is driven by a driving mechanism in the additive direction by way of example. Moreover, forward and reverse fluctuations of the travelling microfilm along the travelling direction are often caused when the brake is applied to the driving mechanism at the switching of the driving speed. In this case, errors are caused such that a single blip is repeatedly counted, and such that the number of two frames shifted in the reverse direction is additively counted by way of example.

An object of this invention is to provide a system for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path without error even if the microfilm is irregularly driven along the guide path.

In accordance with a feature of this invention, the detected pulses are generated from a group of photosensitive means so as to have directional information and sequential information. Moreover, additive counting-pulses and subtractive countingpulses are generated in response to only the travelling direction of the microfilm irrespective of the driving direction of the microfilm.

In a summary, a system of this invention is proposed to automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path by counting the number of detected pulses generated in response to optical detection of each rectangular blip printed on the corresponding blank space of each frame of the microfilm. The system of this invention is provided with two groups of photosensitive means, conformation means, memory means and output means. Each group of the photosensitive means are arranged on the screen of the microfilm so as to detect the length of the rectangular blip on the screen. The confirmation means confirms the length of the blip in response to ON-states of all the photosensitive means in view of directional information. This directional information is determined in the order of switching into the ON-states of respective photosensitive means included in predetermined one of the two groups of the photosensitive means selected in accordance with the travelling direction of the microfilm. The confirmation means generates a confimtation signal when all the photosensitive means included in the other of the two groups become ON- states in accordance with a direction defined by the directional information. The memory means stores the directional information during a time between adjacent two of the confirmation signal. The output means sends out the confirmation signal as the detected pulse only when the directional information corresponds to the predetermined travelling direction of the microfilm.

The principle, construction and merits of the system of this invention will be better understood from the following more detailed discussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are designated by the similar reference numerals, characters and symbols, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan plane view explanatory of a microfilm used in the system of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a constructive diagram explanatory of the optical construction of the system of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the relationship between a blip and photosensitive means at the screen of the microfilm;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of means for detecting a detected signal from the photosensitive means used in the system of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of memory means used in the system of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of block diagrams explanatory of an example of a circuit for sending out confirmation signals and additive or subtractive counting-pulses used in the system of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of diagrams explanatory of relative positions between a shifted blip and a group of photosensitive means in a case of the normal travelling of the microfilm;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of time charts illustrating respective wave forms of the photosensitive means at the relative positions shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram explanatory of relative positions between a shift blip and a group of photosensitive means in a case of the reverse travelling of the microfilm; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram of time charts illustrating respective wave forms of the photosensitive means at the relative positions shown in FIG. 9.

With reference to FIGS. I to 3, a microfilm used in the system of this invention and the optical construction of the system of this invention will first be described. In FIG. I, a part of microfilm 1 has a plurality of frames 2 and a plurality of rectangular blips 3 printed on blank spaces so as to correspond to respective frames 2. In each of the frames 2, information patterns (e.g.; characters, drawings, etc.) to be searched out are recorded. In FIG. 2, the system illustrated provided with a light source 4, a condensing lens 5, reels 6 and 6a, a microfilm 7 having the construction shown in FIG. 1 and travelling in the normal direction and the reverse direction between the reels 6 and 6a, a projecting lens 8, a mirror 9, a screen 10, and photosensitive means 11 (e. g.; phototransistor) whose sensing parts are arranged on the same plane as the screen 10. In accordance with this construction, the contents of each frame 2 and each blip 3 are projected on the screen It] and shown by a reference 12 and a reference 13 respectively. The above-mentioned optical system has an optical construction similar to a conventional enlarger. The light from the light source 4 passes through the condensing lens 5, the microfilm 7 and the projecting lens 8 and is reflected by the mirror 9, so that the images of the information patterns recorded on the microfilm 7 are obtained on the screen 10. A plurality of photosensitive means 11 from two groups (11a, 11b and 11:) and (11d, 11c and 11f) so that each group can confirm the length of the image 13 of the blip 3. In other words, respective distances from the photosensitive means 11a(or 11d) to the photosensitive means 1lc(or 11f) are substantially equal to the length of the image 13 of the rectangular blip 3. Moreover, a space between the photosensitive means 11c and 11d is narrower than other spaces.

With reference to FIG. 4, respective outputs of the photosensitive means 11a(A), 11b(B), 11c(C), 11d(D), 11e(E) and llflF) are reshaped in reshapers 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14c and 14f respectively and the polarities of respective reshaped outputs are inverted in inverters 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15 and 15]" respectively as digital outputs A], E, C, 15,, E, and F The reshaped signals are respectively waves A 8,, C 0,, E, and F, shown in FIG. 8 and the outputs A E, C, D,, F, and F, are inverted signals of the waves A B C,, D,, E, and F shown in FIG. 8.

With reference to FIG. 5, confirmation means having directional function and sequential function comprises a plurality of AND gates 16-1 to 16-15 and a plurality of bistable circuits 17-1 to 17-12. As the result of this construction, respective outputs of the AND gates 16-1, 16-2, 16-3, 16-4, 16-5, 16-6, 16-7, 16-9, 16-11, 16-13, 16-14 and 16-15 set respectively the bistable circuits 17-1 to 17-12 in confirming the length and travelling direction of the image 13 of the blip 3, while respective outputs of the AND gates 16-8, 16-10 and 16-12 reset respectively the bistable circuits 17-7, 17-8 and 17-91. Other bistable circuits 17-1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-4, 17-5, 17-6, 17-10, 1 7-1 1 and 17-12 are reset by the signals A,, i G,, A 13,, C, D,, E, and F respectively as shown.

With reference to FIG. 6, memory means and means for sensing from the means shown in FIG. 5 additive confirmation signals a and E subtractive confirmation signals 13 and 1?, an additive counting-pulse Cp+ and a substactive counting pulse Cpcomprises six AND gates 18-1 to 18-6, four bistable circuits 19-1 to 19-4 and two blocking oscillators 20-1 and 20-2. The additive confirmation signal a and the subtractive confirmation signal 5 are employed to control the AND gates 16-1, 16-2, 16-3, 16-7, 16-9 and 16-11 so as to determine whether a travelling image 13 of the blip 3 is to be counted or not.

In the above-construction, all of the bistable circuits 17-1 to 17-12 and the bistable circuits 19-1 to 19-4 are designed so as to be reset to the res pec tive res et gates in wl1 ich re spgctive outputs A2, B C A B C D E F D E F 11, B, M and N assume ON-states when the power is supplied. However, these means are not shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 for simple illustration.

In operation, if the microfilm 7 is shifted in the normal travelling direction Ad+, the image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted as shown in FIG. 7 so as to successively cover the photosensitive means A,B,C,D,E and F. In response to these successive shifting of the image 13 of the blip 3, waves shown in FIG. 8 are generated at respective corresponding parts of the circuits shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In this case, respective memory elements A,, B, and C, of the bistable circuits 17-1, 17-2 and 17-3 are set by respective outputs of the AND gates 16-1, 16- 2 and 16-3 operating in confirming the length and shifted direction of the image 13 of the blip 3. The outputs A,, B and C, are applied to the AND gate 18-3, so that an additive memory output M of the bistable circuit 19-3 assumes N- state at a time T, and assumes OFF-state at a time 1,. Accordingly, the blocking oscillator 20-1 generates the additive counting pulse Cp+ at the time T, On the other hand, respective memory elements D,, E, and F;, of the bistable circuits 17-10, 17-11 and 17-12 are set by respective outputs of the AND gates 16-13, 16-14 and 16-15 operating in confirming the length and shifted direction of the image 13 of the blip 13 similarly as the memory elements A,, B, and C, of the bistable circuits 17-1, 17-2 and 17-3. The outputs D,, E, and F, are applied to the AND gate 18-1, so that the bistable circuit 19-1 is controlled so as to generate the additive confirmation signal a at a time T,,. If the microfilm 7 is shifted thereafter in the same normal travelling direction Ad+, the additive confirmation signal 0: assumes continuously the ON-state, while respective memory elements A 8,, C D E F and M of the bistable circuits "-1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-10, 17-11, 17-12 and 19-3 repeat ON-OFF operations in response to every passing of the image 13 of the blip 3 as shown in FIG. 8. In each of the ON OFF operations, the additive counting-pulse Cp+ is generated at the T-,.

If the microfilm 7 is shifted in the reverse travelling direction while driven in the normal travelling direction as a result of fluctuation of the shifted direction caused by switching the travelling speed, the image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted so as to successively assume relative positions of times T to T in FIG. 7. In this case, the image 13 of the blip 3 cover successively the photosensitive means D, E and F from the direction from "F" to D, while respective memory elements D,, E, and F, of the bistable circuits 17-7, 17-8 and 17-9 are not set since the respective AND gates 16-7, 16-9 and 16-11 are closed in response to the OFF-state of the additive-confirmation signal 6. Accordingly, since the memory element N of the bistable circuit 19-4 pulse assumes the OFF- state, the substractive counting pulse Cp is not also generated. If the image 13 of the blip 3 is further shifted on the photosensitive means C to A in the direction from C" to A", respective memory elements C B and A, of the bistable circuits 17-6, 17-5 and 174 are turned to the ON-state in confirming the length of the image 13 of the blip 3 so that the additive confirmation signal a and the substractive confirmation signal B assume the OFF-state and the ON-state respectively at a time T Thereafter, if another image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted in the reverse travelling direction so as to cover the photosensitive means A,B,C,D,E and F as shown in FIG. 9, waves shown in FIG. 10 are generated at corresponding parts of the circuits shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 while the additive confirmation signal a and the subtractive confirmation signal ,6 are still maintained at the OFF-state and ON-state respectively. Accordingly, the subtractive counting-pulse Cpis generated at a time T, for each image 13 of the blip 3. Moreover, if the image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted again in the normal travelling direction so that the image 13 of the blip 3 returned across the photosensitive means A,B,C,D,E and F passes from the photosensitive means A to the photosensitive means F, the additive confirmation signal a and the subtractive conformation signal B assume respectively the ON-state and the OFF-state at a time T so that the additive countingpulse Cp+ is generated for each image 13 from the next one of the image 13.

If the microfilm 7 is shifted in the reverse travelling direction Ad, the image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted as shown in FIG. 9. In this case, waves shown in FIG. 10 are generated at respective corresponding parts of circuits shown in FIGS. 4, S and 6. In this case, respective memory elements F E, and D, of the bistable circuits 17-9, 17-8end 17-7 are set by respective outputs of the AND gates 16-11, 16-9 and 16-7 and reset by respective outputs of the AND gates 16-12, 16-10 and 16-8. These AND gates 16-7 to 16-12 operate in confirming the length and shifted direction of the image 13 of the blip 3. The outputs F,, E, and D, are applied to the AND gate 18-5, so that a subtractive memory output N of the bistable circuit 19-4 assumes ON-state at a time T At this time T the blocking oscillator 20-2 is controlled so as to generate the subtractive counting-pulse CP- At a time T the memory element N of the bistable circuit 19-4 is turned to the OFF- state. Moreover, respective memory elements (3,, B, and A, of the bistable circuits 17-6, 17-5 and 17-4 are set, similarly as the memory element F,, E, and D by respective outputs of the AND gates 16-6, 16-5 and 16-4 operating in confirming the length and shifted direction of the image 13 of the blip 3. The outputs C,, B, and A, are applied to the AND gate 18-2, so that the bistable circuit 19-2 is controlled so as to the subtractive confirmation signal 3 to the ON-state at a time T,. If the microfilm 7 is shifted thereafter in the same reverse direction Ad, the subtractive confirmation signal B assumes continuously the ON-state, while respective memory elements F 15,, D,, C,, 13,, A, and N of the bistable circuits 17-9, 17-8, 17-7, 17-6, 17-5, 17-4 and 19-4 repeat ON-OFF operations in response to every passing of the image 13 of the blip 3 as shown in FIG. 9. In each of the ON-OFF operations, the subtractive counting-pulse Cpis generated at the time T If the microfilm 7 is shifted in the normal travelling direction while driven in the reverse travelling direction as a result of fluctuation of the shifted direction caused by switching the travelling speed, the image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted so as to successively assume relative positions of time T to T in FIG. 9. In this case, the image 13 of the blip 3 cover successively the photosensitive means A, B and C from the direction from A to C, while respective memory elements A,, B, and C, of the bistable circuits 17-1, 17-2 and 17-3 are not set since the respective AN gates 16-1, 16-2 and 16-3 are closed in response to the OFF-late of the subtractive confirmation signal 3. Accordingly, since the memory element M of the bistable circuit 19-3 assumes the OFF-state, the additive counting-pulse Cp+ is not also generated. If the image 13 of the blip 3 is further shifted from the photo-sensitive means D, E and F in the direction D" to F", respective memory elements D,, E, and F, of the bistable circuits 17-10, 17-11 and 17-12 are turned to the ON-state, so that the additive confirmation signal a and the subtractive confirmation signal B assume respectively the ON-state and the OFF-state at the time T Thereafter, if another image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted in the normal travelling direction so as to cover the photosensitive means A,B,C,D,E and F as shown in FIG. 7, waves shown in FIG. 8 are generated at corresponding parts of the circuits shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 while the additive confirmation signal a and the subtractive confirmation signal [3 are still maintained at the ON-state and OFF-state respectively. Accordingly, the additive counting pulse Cp+ is generated at a time T for each image 13 of the blip 3. Moreover, if the image 13 of the blip 3 is shifted again in the reverse travelling direction so that the image 13 of the blip 3 returned across the photosensitive means A,B,C,D,E and F passes from the photosensitive means F to A, the additive confirmation signal a and the subtractive confirmation signal 3 assume respectively the OFF-state and the ON-state at a time T so that the subtractive counting pulse Cpis generated for each image 13 from the next one of the image 13.

What 1 claim is:

1. In a system for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path by counting the number of detected pulses generated in response to optical direction of each blip printed on a corresponding blank space of each frame of the microfilm, the improvement comprising:

a screen on which the microfilm frames are successively projected and having two groups of ON-OF F photosensitive means in each of which the photosensitive means are arranged to detect the dimensional magnitude of the images of the individual blips on the screen,

confirmation means confirming the dimensional magnitude of the image of the individual blips successively in response to ON-states of all the photosensitive means in view of directional information determined in the order of switching into the ON-states of respective photosensitive means included in one of the two groups of the photosensitive means selected in accordance with the travelling direction of the microfilm, means for generating successive confirmation pulse signals successively each time all the photosensitive means included in the other of the two groups assume ON-tates in accordance with a direction defined b the directional information memory means for storing tlte directional information uring a time between two next successive confirmation signals; and

output means for sensing the confirmation signal as the detected pulses only when the directional information corresponds to the predetermined travelling direction of the microfilm.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which each blip has a rectangular configuration, and in which said photosensitive means are arranged on the screen to confirm to the length of the image of the individual blips. 

1. In a system for automatically searching out a desired frame from a microfilm travelling along a guide path by counting the number of detected pulses generated in response to optical direction of each blip printed on a corresponding blank space of each frame of the microfilm, the improvement comprising: a screen on which the microfilm frames are successively projected and having two groups of ON-OFF photosensitive means in each of which the photosensitive means are arranged to detect the dimensional magnitude of the images of the individual blips on the screen, confirmation means confirming the dimensional magnitude of the image of the individual blips successively in response to ONstates of all the photosensitive means in view of directional information determined in the order of switching into the ONstates of respective photosensitIve means included in one of the two groups of the photosensitive means selected in accordance with the travelling direction of the microfilm, means for generating successive confirmation pulse signals successively each time all the photosensitive means included in the other of the two groups assume ON-states in accordance with a direction defined by the directional information, memory means for storing the directional information during a time between two next successive confirmation signals; and output means for sensing the confirmation signal as the detected pulses only when the directional information corresponds to the predetermined travelling direction of the microfilm.
 2. A system according to claim 1, in which each blip has a rectangular configuration, and in which said photosensitive means are arranged on the screen to confirm to the length of the image of the individual blips. 